


When the Moon Fell in Love With the Sun

by iamladyloki



Category: Original Work
Genre: Biracial Character, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, High School, Mutual Pining, mentions of epilepsy, seizure response dog, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 04:49:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17257871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamladyloki/pseuds/iamladyloki
Summary: High school student Imani Leone is in love with her childhood best friend, Peppermint Carlisle. The countdown is on for graduation day: Imani has six months to tell Peppermint how she feels before they are separated across an ocean for university. No pressure. None at all.





	When the Moon Fell in Love With the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> This short story is a very compressed version of a full length novel I want to write. It is a gift for @wesper on tumblr, through a short story title exchange! I hope you enjoy it. <3

* * *

 

They say that the universe started with a bang. Or, to be specific, with a singularity; a hot, dense point that rapidly expanded to create everything in the known universe: energy, matter, time, and space. Energy turned into quarks, quarks turned into protons and neutrons, protons and neutrons became nuclei, nuclei formed elements, and elements formed galaxies.

Then, roughly 13.8 billion years after the birth of the universe (give or take a few million years), high school was invented.

Imani Leone remained unconvinced that high school was one of mankind’s better creations. Whoever thought it was a good idea to gather hundreds of moody, self-involved teenagers into classrooms beginning before eight in the morning did not deserve any awards. At this point in Imani’s life, she was just ready to graduate. At least college wouldn’t require her to set her alarm for 5:30 AM, a time of day that even her seizure response dog struggled with.

“Come on,” Imani said to Atticus after a yawn, tossing her comforter back and swinging her legs to the floor. Atticus, who had been asleep beside her, sighed and slowly rose after her. Before they slid out of bed, Imani wrapped her arms around her Saint Bernard in a big hug, smiling against his thick coat.

Today was the first day back after winter break and Imani couldn’t help but feel nervous. People would be buzzing about college acceptance letters. Her anxiety was not because Imani did not get into her first choice, but rather because she did not want to find out where Peppermint Carlisle would be going away to after graduation.

Peppermint Carlisle. If Imani kept a diary, she would have _IL + PC_ written in it, surrounded by hearts. Peppermint was the type of person that everyone gravitated towards. Beautiful, smart, rich, and kind beyond measure, Peppermint was the best of them all.

Once upon a time, Peppermint and Imani were the best of friends. They used to live in the same neighborhood; while Imani and her middle-class parents lived in the smallest house in the city’s richest county, Peppermint and her family lived in one of the largest. Yet, money was not a barrier for their friendship. How could it be? They had too much in common: A love of reading, fairy tales, adventure, science, art, and so many other things. They were a perfect match. But when Imani’s family moved across town due to monetary problems right before the start of sixth grade, they lost touch.

The biggest regret in Imani’s life was drifting apart from Peppermint after her family moved away. Though they both chose to attend the same high school for the IB program, they never reconnected like Imani had hoped they would. They were on friendly terms, but friendly was not enough for Imani. Not anymore

She was in love with Peppermint Carlisle. Of course she came to terms with her feelings just in time for them to separate once again, and this time with permanence. Imani had approximately six months to find a way to tell Peppermint how she felt.

No pressure. None at all.

 

* * *

 

The benefit of having a service dog that weighed over 150 pounds was that crowds parted easily. Walking down the hallway to her locker, Imani greeted friends and classmates with smiles and nods and _‘Had a good break?’_ s. Many people complimented her new denim jacket, a birthday gift from her parents, which she had meticulously decorated with patches and pins over break.

She couldn’t decide if she was relieved or sad that she hadn’t spotted Peppermint by the time she reached her locker. She was just grabbing her astronomy and IB math textbooks when Atticus pressed against the back of her legs, signalling that someone was behind her.

Then came the voice that made Imani’s heart rate spike.

“Love the new jacket.”

Breath hitching for a moment, Imani turned slowly to find Peppermint standing behind her. Her gaze swept over Peppermint, taking in her impeccable appearance, lingering on the burgundy matte lipstick painting her lips.

“Thanks!” she said, embarrassed by how breathy her voice was. Atticus shifted beside her, sensing Imani’s anxiety.

Peppermint smiled wide enough to show her perfect teeth. “Can I look at the pins?” All Imani could do was nod, heart in her throat while the girl she loved closely examined the physical hearts on her sleeves.

“Oh my God,” Peppermint said, tossing her head back and laughing. “I think this one is my favorite,” she said, tapping the enamel pin of a uterus and ovaries that said, _Grow a pair_ . “But oh, I don’t know. I love this _patriarchy repellent_ patch. And all of the science ones! They are all amazing. They’re all you.”

“Thank you,” Imani said. Her cheeks felt as though they were on fire. She glanced away, unable to meet Peppermint’s eyes for a moment, and paused when she noticed something on the inside of Peppermint’s forearm. “Hang on a minute,” she said, gesturing to the marking. “What is that?”

The smirk that crossed Peppermint’s face was sinful. She raised her arm up in a dramatic pose and said in a casual tone, “Oh, it’s just my first tattoo.”

“What!” Imani exclaimed, examining the three-inch-long skeleton key tattoo.

“Cherry was home for Christmas and we got our first tattoos together,” Peppermint explained. Cherry was Peppermint’s older sister. Following in the footsteps of her family, she was currently attending college at Yale.

“That is amazing,” Imani said in awe. “I love it. I think my mother would kill me if I got a tattoo.”

“Mommy dearest wasn’t thrilled, but she got over it pretty quickly,” Peppermint giggled. She glanced at the time on her phone and then said, “Hey, before the bell rings, I have something for you for your birthday. I wasn’t sure if you celebrated Christmas or not, so...”

Imani was inwardly relieved. She had a Christmas gift for Peppermint, too, but she hadn’t been positive that Peppermint was going to give her a gift as well.

“I do with my dad’s side of the family,” Imani said. “So it’s fine if you get me something for Christmas, even if I don’t really celebrate it myself. It’s the thought that counts.” She winked and nudged Peppermint.

Peppermint grinned and then retrieved a narrow black velvet jewelry box from the front pocket of her backpack. “Before you say anything, I wanted to explain...I made this over break. One for me and one for you,” she explained. She paused and then said, “I’ll explain it more once you open it.”

Imani took the box from Peppermint and, with slightly shaking hands, opened it. A gold charm in the shape of a half-sun was attached to fine chain of gold. “You made me a necklace?” Imani asked softly, touched beyond belief.

“Yes, and I’ve got the matching piece. See?” Peppermint asked, drawing out the silver half-moon necklace from beneath her shirt collar. She picked up the gold necklace and demonstrated how they completed each other when placed side-by-side. “Remember when we used to wear those cheesy ‘best friend’ matching bracelets? I wanted to make something similar, but more ‘us,’ if that makes sense. You were my best friend. I miss you so much.”

Imani couldn’t stop the tears that slipped down her cheeks. “Peppermint, this is the most wonderful thing I have ever been given,” she said. She stepped forward and hugged her friend, standing up on her tiptoes to properly wrap her arms around Peppermint’s neck. “I’ve missed you too. So much. Thank you.”

She stepped back to wipe her tears and put on the necklace. She was about to tell Peppermint about the present she got her when Atticus heaved a dramatic canine sigh beside them. He was laying on the floor, head between his paws, looking extremely forlorn. Imani rolled her eyes.

“Ignore him, he’s jealous that we’re not giving him attention. Which is _not a good thing_ since you are currently _working_ ,” Imani said to Atticus. Turning back to Peppermint she said, “I’ve got a gift for you as well. I’m sorry that it isn’t as special as this necklace, but hopefully you’ll like it,” Imani said, still scratching behind Atticus’s ears.

“Stop it, I will like anything you give me,” Peppermint said. Imani was pleased to see a noticeable blush on her cheeks. Trying not to read too much into it was a challenge.

“I didn’t wrap it. Sorry,” Imani said, giving a short, self-deprecating laugh. She pulled the book from her backpack and carefully handed it to Peppermint.

Peppermint ran her hand over the cover of the book. _Celestial Bodies: The Sun and the Moon, and Other Fairy Tales of the Universe._

“Seems like we both remember our childhood nicknames,” Imani said, and grinned.

“Luna and Sola, back at it again,” Peppermint said, wrapping an arm around Imani and gesturing in front of them dramatically. “Hilton High better watch out.”

“Good to know we’re both still as lame as we were seven years ago,” Imani said, tipping her head back and laughing.

“The only way to be, sugar,” Peppermint drawled.

 

* * *

 

She made it to sixth period IB English before the subject came up.

“Have you gotten any acceptance letters yet?” Paris asked Peppermint.

“Yes!” Peppermint said, “I got into Yale and Harvard. Still not sure which I want to go to. What about you?”

Paris’s response faded away when a feeling of dread overtook Imani. Her only source of relief was that she was in the front row, meaning Peppermint could not see her reaction.

Atticus looked up in concern from where he was laying on the floor in front of her feet. A string of drool leaked out from his mouth onto the floor tiles. Imani would have to leave a parting gift for the janitors to thank them for putting up with all of the dog slobber. She was pretty sure that there was still some crusty drool stalactites on the ceiling of Mr. Lawson’s classroom from when Atticus shook and flung drool everywhere the last semester.

“What about you, Imani? Have you gotten your acceptance letters yet?” Paris asked, drawing Imani’s attention back to the present.

When Imani was sure that she wasn’t about to break down, she turned around in her seat and said quietly, “Yeah, I was accepted into Oxford on scholarship.”

Peppermint and Paris both gave comical expressions of surprise. “What?! Why didn’t you tell me sooner, you loon!” Peppermint asked, gently smacking Imani’s shoulder in reproach. “That is amazing! Congratulations.” She took Imani’s hand and squeezed it tightly, grinning from ear to ear in delight at the news.

Soon the entire class and her teacher were congratulating Imani on her acceptance into Oxford. Her brown cheeks reddened in embarrassment at all of the attention, but when her eyes returned to Peppermint, she was somewhat relieved to find a sadness mirroring her own in Peppermint’s eyes.

Imani squeezed Peppermint’s hand once in reassurance. Peppermint returned the gesture.

 

* * *

 

Imani lived only five blocks from Hilton High, which meant that she was stuck walking home even during the winter months. Atticus never minded it, but he was bred to withstand the harsh weather of the Swiss Alps.

“You’re lucky you have a built-in coat,” she told her dog, who glanced up at her and wagged his tail. She smiled at him. “Peppermint gave me a T-O-Y to give you when we get home,” she said, spelling out the word because he understood the meaning of ‘toy.’ His ears perked with interest, nonetheless.

When Imani walked in the door and set down her backpack, she was greeted with a shout of, “In the kitchen, Imani.”

“Coming,” she called back. Atticus nudged at her backpack in interest, sniffing out the large stuffed rocket ship from Peppermint. Imani retrieved the toy, gave it a squeak, and said, “Atticus, sit.”

He sat.

“Atticus, stay.” She backed up a few steps.

He stayed.

“Atta boy, Atticus!” Imani said and threw the toy. He caught it in midair, squeaking it in delight. Imani shook her head in amusement and made her way to the kitchen.

“Hello, Ammi,” she said, kissing her mother on the cheek. Her mother was at the counter preparing Imani’s favorite drink, noon chai.

“Good afternoon, Beti,” her mother said, bringing the noon chai over to the kitchen table. Noon chai was a special treat her mother made occasionally during the winter months and on special occasions. Imani was touched that her mother made some for her after her first day back to school. She was too good to her.

“How was school?” her mother asked when they settled down at the table.

Imani sprinkled some crushed pistachios and almonds into her tea and took a sip. Warmth seeped into her body and soul as she reflected on her interactions with Peppermint. “It was good,” she said. She was relieved to find that it was true. “Remember Peppermint Carlisle?”

“How could I forget your childhood best friend?” her mother asked. “Of course I remember her.”

Imani smiled and said, “Well, we exchanged gifts today. I gave her one of my favorite fairy tale books, and she made me this.” She drew out the necklace from where it was tucked under her shirt collar. “She has a matching necklace with a silver half-moon.”

“Oh, Beti. That is beautiful. Why would she give you such a gift?” she asked, brushing her fingers over the gold sun pendant.

Imani sipped at her tea and took her time responding. “I think we’re both realizing how much we regret drifting apart. That the time we have left together is limited.” Imani felt her throat tightening. Before she could even process her emotions, tears were slipping down her cheeks and she was fighting back sobs.

“Beti, what is the matter?” her mother asked, getting up from her seat across from Imani and coming to sit in the chair beside her. Imani leaned into the comfort of her mother’s hug.

“I think I am in love with her, Ammi,” Imani admitted. Her throat was still tight and her words sounded mangled.

“Shh,” her mother soothed, rubbing her back in soothing strokes.

Atticus trotted into the room to sit beside Imani, leaning up against her legs in reassurance.

When her sobs finally dissipated, Imani’s mother released her and leaned back. Her mother poured her some more noon chai, which she took gratefully and sipped at.

“Are you going to tell her how you feel?” her mother asked, rubbing Imani’s arm comfortingly.

Imani furrowed her brow. “I don’t know if I’m brave enough, Ammi,” she admitted.

“Imani,” her mother said, squeezing her arm once. “Do you remember what your name means?”

“Yeah,” Imani said slowly. “It means ‘honest.’”

Her mother smiled gently and said, “Allah must have known you even in my womb to help me choose your name. Never have I met someone with a name so fitting. You are the most honest person I have ever met. Not to say that you do not lie,” she said, giving her a pointed look. “But you are the most honest person with _yourself_ . You are not afraid to face the world and tell it, _‘This is who I am.'_ It takes true bravery to be so honest.”

“But what if she doesn’t feel the same way?” Imani asked in a shaking voice. “What if telling her how I feel ruins our friendship?”

“I’m afraid that it is up to you to decide whether or not you tell her how you feel, Beti,” her mother said, smiling sadly. “I cannot make that decision for you. My advice is that you do what is best for yourself. Do you truly believe that Peppermint will reject you and your friendship if you tell her that you love her?”

Imani took another drink of her tea and considered her mother’s words. Imani was one of the few people at school who knew that Peppermint was gay. Was it possible that Peppermint felt the same way about her?

She took the necklace in her hand and gripped it. She could be brave. She could be brave, right?

“Thanks, Ammi,” Imani said, smiling at her mother and scrubbing the dried tears from her cheeks. As if sensing that Imani was finally calming down, Atticus ambled away into the other room. Imani said, “I don’t know if I am going to tell her yet, but I will let you know,” she said.

“That’s my girl,” her mother said. She stood and began cleaning up the dishes from their tea. Imani looked down to find Atticus staring up at her with his new rocket ship in his mouth. He squeaked it twice and then placed it in her lap. Ropes of drool hung between the toy and his mouth.

“Thanks, buddy,” she said, wiping some of the drool from her hand onto her jeans. Atticus woofed in reply.

 

* * *

 

Nearly three months passed and Imani still hadn’t told Peppermint how she felt. Not because she thought it would destroy their friendship, or because she loved her any less. It wasn’t because she was afraid to admit her feelings.

It was because it simply wasn’t the right time. It was never the right _moment_.

Except now, with graduation happening in three months’ time, Imani felt the pressure mounting. There might never be a ‘right time’ to tell the girl of her affections that she loved her. She would just have to rip off the proverbial band-aid and tell her.

Somehow.

Some way.

“God, Atticus, why are feelings so difficult?” She asked her dog. It was a Saturday afternoon in March. Peppermint was having an eighteenth birthday soiree that evening at her house. Imani was trying to decide whether tonight would be the night she told Peppermint how much she meant to her.

They were sitting on her bed, Atticus quietly chewing on a bone while Imani had a miniature existential crisis. What was she going to wear to a 1920s themed party? Was her birthday gift to Peppermint too obvious? Was it _enough_?

She shook her head. As usual, she was overthinking things.

The previous year she had attended a national conference for high school students aspiring to be STEM majors. At a formal dinner, she had worn a very nice suit, tie and all. That would be suitable for a 1920s party.

Her hair was braided into a 1920s-style updo with the help of her talented mother. “You look beautiful, Beti,” her mother said fondly.

“Thanks, Ammi,” Imani said. She looked at the floor for a moment before saying, “If I can speak to Peppermint alone, I think that I am going to tell her how I feel tonight.”

“I will be praying for you, Beti,” her mother said. Then she winked, mirth dancing in her eyes. “I believe in you, my daughter.”

“Thanks,” Imani said, rolling her eyes. “I hope your faith in me is warranted.”

 

* * *

 

It had been seven years since Imani had last been to Peppermint’s house. The estate was even more beautiful than she had remembered: manicured front lawns, ancient, budding maple trees lining the driveway, and tidy flower gardens with daffodils surrounding the porch. Around the back of the three-story house, the horse barn was being used again. Two sleek draft horses were grazing in the three-acre pasture.

Imani leaned against one of the black fence posts, gazing at them in admiration. Atticus was staring at them with intense interest.

“Their names are Hamish and Percy,” Peppermint said from behind Imani.

Imani spun around, jaw going slack when she spotted the woman she loved. Peppermint was wearing a mint green flapper dress, her bobbed hair done up as a flapper would have worn it. A matching cloche hat adorned her head.

“Hamish and Percy?” Imani echoed in a faraway voice. “That’s so...pretentious.”

“Pos-i-tutely,” Peppermint said, grinning. “I mean, Atticus sounds pretty pretentious, too,” she said.

“Hey! Excuse me, Atticus is a literary hero,” Imani said indignantly, but smiled to show that she took no offence. Atticus _was_ a pretty pretentious name for a dog.

Peppermint leaned against the fence beside Imani and nudged her with her elbow. “You look amazing, by the way. ”

“You, too. You look liked you walked straight out of a silent film,” Imani giggled.

“Been dreaming of having a roaring twenties party for years,” Peppermint said. “Ready to go inside my speakeasy? It’s a bit chilly out here.”

Imani noticed then that Peppermint, who had plenty of skin exposed to the elements, was shivering slightly. Spring was fast approaching but cold snaps were still frequent.

“Of course. You can tell me about your giant ponies later,” Imani said. “Come on, Atticus.” Atticus woofed in delight, still staring dreamily at the giant equines. Another nudge and Atticus finally followed them into the house.

The party truly felt like Imani had walked through a doorway into the past. A jazz band was set up in the vast living room, creating an explosion of joyful noise that had everybody swinging. Bubbly cider and grape juice was sipped from plastic champagne flutes.

It was fun, at least for a while. Imani began to feel overwhelmed by all of the noise and activity after only two hours. She couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by her aversion to so much social interaction. She sat at the foot of the stairs in the entryway, pressed against the side of her dog.

As though manifesting from out of nowhere, Peppermint appeared at her side. “Are you okay?” she asked softly. She sat beside Imani and looked at her with concern. Worry lines appeared on her forehead as she furrowed her brow.

“Just a bit overwhelmed by everything,” Imani admitted.

Peppermint nudged Imani and tipped her head to indicate that they should go upstairs. They quietly walked up to the second floor. Imani and Atticus trailed behind Peppermint as they headed towards her room. Imani felt as though her heart was skipping beats. Could this be it? Could she be brave and face her feelings?

Imani had always been jealous of Peppermint’s room. It was nearly the size of Imani’s entire house. Her favorite part of it was the bay window that overlooked the horse pastures in the back. It was cozy and Imani always wished she could settle down and read a book on a rainy day.

“It’s surreal to be back in here,” Imani admitted. She walked over to the bay window and sat on the cushion. Atticus settled down at her feet. “Thank you,” she added, grateful that Peppermint was kind enough to take her somewhere quiet.

Peppermint walked over and sat beside her on the cushion. “Of course,” she said, reaching over and squeezing Imani’s arm in reassurance. “There’s actually something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”

Peppermint looked flustered, and it was one of the few times Imani had seen such an expression on her face.

“What is it?” Imani asked.

“I’m still trying to find the right words. You know you have always been the better wordsmith,” Peppermint said with a small smile. “We’re graduating soon, and the idea of us parting pains me.”

Imani’s heart began to hammer in her chest.

Peppermint continued, “Over the last year, I’ve realized that my feelings for you have grown beyond friendship. Imani, I...I love you.”

Everything went still. Peppermint seemed to be holding her breath, and Imani was trying to find the words to reply. Any words. _Words. Just say words._

“You stole my line,” Imani blurted.

“What?” Peppermint asked, blinking in surprise.

Was this really happening? Did the woman that she had been pining over for months, _years_ , even, really just admit that she loved her first? All of these months of psyching herself up to say the words ‘ _I love you_ ,’ and Peppermint said them before she could.

A giggle escaped Imani’s lips and happy tears began to form in her eyes. “I was going to tell you that I was in love with you,” she said, laughing and wiping away the tears before they could fall. “I was literally about to tell you the same thing.”

Peppermint laughed then, too. After a minute of hysterical laughter between the two of them, they finally calmed and found each other in close proximity. Tears were clinging to Peppermint’s eyelashes. She had never looked so beautiful.

“Can I kiss you?” Imani whispered.

“Yes,” Peppermint replied, equally hushed.

The first thing that Imani learned about kissing: It wasn’t stars being born, or fireworks, or atoms colliding. It was noses in the way, teeth clacking, lips unsure of what to do. Having a flawless first kiss didn’t matter to Imani, because she was _kissing Peppermint Carlisle_.

Until an indignant, “WOOF!” came from their feet. They broke apart to find Atticus sitting and staring at them in displeasure. He barked once, twice, three more times until the two girls began to sprinkle kisses on his head.

“Sorry,” Imani said. “I think we’re doomed to have a permanent third wheel.”

Peppermint giggled and then surprised Imani with a kiss on the cheek. Imani turned her head and captured Peppermint’s lips again. The kiss was just beginning to deepen when suddenly:

“WOOF.”

Imani sighed. Peppermint snorted with laughter.

 

* * *

 

It didn’t take long for all of Hilton High to learn that Peppermint and Imani were dating. Imani helped Peppermint through the ‘coming out’ process; she had been nervous at first, but their relationship was serious enough that Peppermint insisted they become official. She was tired of boys hitting on her.

(That only got marginally better.)

Peppermint’s parents were not very pleased at the revelation but got over it quickly enough. Especially after Peppermint told them that she would be attending neither Yale nor Harvard, but would instead be applying to art colleges with jewelry design programs. Her parents, both successful lawyers, were severely disappointed that their youngest child wanted to pursue a career in something that would most likely not result in a six-figure annual income.

Imani was proud of her girlfriend’s bravery.

They were sitting across from each other in Peppermint’s bay window seat one rainy Saturday afternoon in April, feet tangled together and each reading their own books. Imani was reading Susan Dennard’s newest novel and Peppermint was finally reading the fairy tale book that Imani had given her in January.

“How did I not realize that these are all LGBT+ fairy tales?” Peppermint asked, surprised. “And they are in space!”

“Space is gay,” Imani said. She grinned at Peppermint over the top of her book.

Peppermint snorted. “I’m going to make that into an enamel pin for you.”

Imani tipped her head back and laughed.

They read in silence for a few more minutes until Peppermint said, “The Sun and the Moon. This story reminds me of us.”

“I know,” Imani said, glad that her brown skin hid most of her blush. “I gave it to you because I had hoped it would drop a hint about how I felt about you.”

Peppermint’s mouth twisted in an effort not to laugh. “Well. We still got here in the end.”

Imani set down her book and moved to sit beside her girlfriend. She gave her a chaste kiss and said, “We did.”

 

* * *

 

And while they didn’t live happily ever after, they certainly lived a good life, filled with trials and tribulations - but always pulled through in the end. Together.


End file.
